The Colorado Attorney General’s office and staff at the Public Utilities Commission have both reached out to Equity LifeStyle Properties, the owner of 11 mobile home communities in Colorado that told tenants this month they would have to switch to Primecast for phone, Internet and pay-television on Nov. 1.

Equity, or ELS, has been unable to agree to terms with Qwest and Comcast to allow the companies to continue servicing the communities. ELS essentially wants more of money from Comcast and some money from Qwest (since it doesn’t currently have a deal with Qwest).

Those discussions are ongoing, and a deal can be reached before Nov. 1 in which tenants won’t be forced to switch to Primecast.

It’s basically a big game of chicken right now. Would Qwest and Comcast rather lose a few thousand customers than give some of their profits to the landowner? Would ELS rather force tenants to switch providers (and deal with MANY unhappy residents) than lower its demands on Qwest and Comcast?

Spokesmen for the AG’s office and the PUC wouldn’t expand on their discussions with ELS.

“We have not taken a position on either side of this dispute,” said Terry Bote, a spokesman for the PUC.
Bote said Qwest has indicated it may make a filing with the PUC on the matter, but the company has yet to do so.

It doesn’t appear that ELS would be breaking any laws if it blocked Comcast and Qwest from offering services to their tenants. ELS owns the land. But the plan to force tenants to switch providers has created an uproar within the communities, and many have reached out to regulators. I’ve personally fielded more than 20 calls and about 10 emails on the issue. Most are from tenants who are upset about being forced to switch providers. Some are specifically unhappy about having to switch to Primecast, a relatively unknown provider in Colorado. It’s received some bad marks from Ripoffreport.

David joined The Denver Post in 1999, his second go-round in the Mile High City. Since then he’s covered a variety of topics – from human services to consumer affairs – most always with an investigative bent. Currently he does investigations and banking.